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10. Jesus Appears on the Road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35)

Lesson

Main Point: Jesus’ death and resurrection fulfilled all of God’s promises.

PPT TITLE

Key Verse:

Jesus explained to them what was said about Himself in all the Scriptures. He began with Moses and all the Prophets. - Luke 24:27

Props: A picture of yourself (teacher), cut into 6 simple puzzle pieces, a 300 piece puzzle; For older students: 8 Old Testament prophecy strips (attached to end of lesson); For younger students: paper megaphone, picture of Bethlehem, paper “donkey ears” attached to a headband, strip of cloth for Judas’ head piece, small bag of coins, wooden cross.

Background/Review

Say: Last week we looked at the VICTORIOUS raising of Jesus from the dead. This is the best part of the Easter story! Not only did Jesus willingly die to take away our sin on the cross, but also He was raised to give us new and abundant life. When you place your trust in Jesus as your Savior, your sins are forgiven, and you are made into a new creation. You are no longer a slave to sin. Jesus sends God’s Holy Spirit to live inside of you, to guide you and to produce spiritual fruit. And you will live with God forever in heaven.

From the beginning, Jesus’ dying on the cross and being raised to life was God’s plan to bring mankind back to Himself (Genesis 3:15). Throughout history, God made promises to His people about the special One who would come to be the Savior of the world. These promises are called PROPHECIES. Teacher: Hold up your Bible. Say: If you brought your Bible this morning, hold it up high so I can see it. Okay, I want everyone to open your Bibles to the place where the New Testament begins. The New Testament begins with the book of Matthew. This is where we see Jesus come into the world as a Baby. The New Testament tells us about Jesus’ life, His death and resurrection, and how the Church grew after His resurrection. It also tells us what will happen in the future. Do you see how much thicker the Old Testament is than the New Testament? The Old Testament tells everything that happened before Jesus came to Earth. Many people think that Jesus is only in the New Testament, but that is not true. Actually, the entire Bible is about Jesus, because the Old Testament tells of God’s promises, or prophesies, about Jesus. A prophecy is telling what is going to happen in the future.

There are hundreds of prophecies about Jesus in the Old Testament. God did not tell His people Jesus’ name, but He told many different things about Him. Each prophecy was like a piece of a puzzle that told a little more about the Messiah, or Savior. Sort of like this: Teacher: Call up a volunteer. Hold up one of the puzzle pieces of your own picture and tell a fact about yourself, such as the place you were born.Say: This person was born in _____. Then, hold up another piece of your puzzle.Say: This person has a pet named _____. Go through all the pieces, and for the final piece, say: This person loves to teach kids about the Bible. Ask your volunteer to put the puzzle together. Ask him or her to tell the class who is in the puzzle. Thank your volunteer.

Say: Through the prophets, God gave over 300 small pieces of information about the Savior, or Messiah. The most amazing part is that God gave all these prophecies hundreds, sometimes thousands, of years before Jesus came to Earth. But when Jesus came, He fulfilled every single prophecy that was told about Him.

Because it was sort of like a puzzle, the Jewish people did not understand who the Messiah would be. Show the pieces of the 300-piece puzzle.Say: It would difficult to get all these pieces, one at a time, and understand what the finished puzzle would look like. Sometimes the people would pick and choose which pieces to remember.

Note to Teacher: The Jews were much more interested in a King who would free them politically, make them a great nation, and usher in victory, than a Messiah who would be a suffering servant.

The Road To Emmaus (Luke 24:13-27)

After Jesus was raised to life on the third day, He appeared to Mary Magdalene. He told her to go tell His disciples that they would see Him soon.

That same day two of Jesus’ followers were going to a village called Emmaus. It was about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened.

As they talked about those things, Jesus Himself came up and walked along with them. But God kept them from recognizing Him.

Jesus asked them, “What are you talking about as you walk along?”

They stood still, and their faces were sad. One of them was named Cleopas. He said to Jesus, “You must be a visitor to Jerusalem. If You lived there, You would know the things that have happened there in the last few days.”

“What things?” Jesus asked.

“About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet. He was powerful in what He said and did in the eyes of God and all of the people. The chief priests and our rulers handed Jesus over to be sentenced to death. They nailed Him to a cross. But we had hoped that He was the one who was going to set Israel free. Also, it is the third day since all this happened.

“Some of our women amazed us too. Early this morning they went to the tomb. But they didn’t find his body. So they came and told us what they had seen. They saw angels, who said Jesus was alive. Then some of our friends went to the tomb. They saw it was empty, just as the women had said. They didn’t see Jesus’ body there.”

Jesus said to them, “How foolish you are! How long it takes you to believe all that the prophets said! Didn’t the Christ have to suffer these things and then receive His glory?”

Jesus explained to them what was said about Himself in all the Scriptures. He began with Moses and all the Prophets. - Luke 24:13-27

Here were two followers of Jesus. They were not part of the twelve disciples, but they were close friends of theirs. On the third day after Jesus’ crucifixion, they were leaving town. They were very sad by what had happened to Jesus. They were crushed that the One that they followed had been killed. Even though Mary and the other disciples told them that Jesus’ body was not in the tomb, they did not realize or understand that He had risen. The two men must have believed that His body had been stolen.

Then, the risen Jesus began to walk with them. We’re not sure how God kept the men from recognizing Jesus, but they thought He must be a stranger who had just arrived in town. They were so surprised that the stranger didn’t know what had happened. Everyone in Jerusalem knew about Jesus being hung on the cross. It was a HUGE event. Everyone was still talking about it days later.

Jesus quickly reminded the two men that the prophets had foretold all of these things. He told them that the Christ, or Messiah, had to suffer and then be raised again. God had promised it in the prophecies. Then Jesus started from the beginning and explained what the Old Testament prophecies had said about Him. But the men still did not know that it was Jesus speaking to them.

Prophecies

Say: We aren’t told exactly which prophecies Jesus talked about with these two men, but let’s look at just a few ourselves. As we read these, try to remember when these were fulfilled.

For OLDER students: Choose eight volunteers who are comfortable and confident reading aloud. Hand the first verse strip to a volunteer and have him read it aloud. Then ask the group when Jesus fulfilled it. Listen for answers. (Students will most likely answer in general terms, not with a Bible verse). Then explain the fulfillment. Say: Remember, each of these Scriptures was written hundreds of years before Jesus was born to Mary.

#1) The Lord who rules over all says, “I will send my messenger. He will prepare my way for me. Then suddenly the Lord you are looking for will come to his temple. The messenger of the covenant will come. He is the one you long for.” - Micah 5:2

Say: This was fulfilled when God sent John the Baptist to tell everyone that Jesus was coming (Luke 1:17, 76-79).

#2) The Lord says,”Bethlehem, you might not be an important town in the nation of Judah. But out of you will come a ruler over Israel for Me. His family line goes back to the early years of your nation. It goes all the way back to days of long ago.” - Micah 5:2

Say: This was fulfilled when Joseph to Mary took Bethlehem to be counted for the census, and Jesus was born there (Luke 2:4-7).

#3) City of Zion, be full of joy! People of Jerusalem, shout! See, your king comes to you. He always does what is right. He has the power to save. He is gentle and riding on a donkey. He is sitting on a donkey’s colt. - Zechariah 9:9

Say: This was fulfilled when Jesus entered Jerusalem riding on a donkey, as the people shouted, “Hosanna!” (John 12:13-14)

#4) If an enemy were making fun of me, I could stand it. If he were looking down on me, I could hide from him. But it’s you, someone like myself. It’s my companion, my close friend. - Psalm 55:12-13

Say: This was fulfilled when Jesus’ friend and disciple, Judas, betrayed Him (Mark 14:10).

#5) What a good price they had set for me! So I threw the 30 silver coins to the potter in the Lord’s temple. - Zechariah 11:13b

#6) He was beaten down and made to suffer. But he didn’t open his mouth. He was led away like a sheep to be killed. Lambs are silent while their wool is being cut off. In the same way, he didn’t open his mouth. - Isaiah 53:7

Say: This was fulfilled when Jesus allowed the guards to whip Him and beat Him. He did not say a word to defend Himself when He was on trial before Pilate (Matthew 27:27-31, 27:14).

#7) A group of sinful people has closed in on me. They are all around me like a pack of dogs. They have pierced my hands and my feet. - Psalm 22:16

Say: This was fulfilled when Jesus was nailed to the cross (John 20:25).

#8) But the servant was pierced because we had sinned. He was crushed because we had done what was evil. He was punished to make us whole again. His wounds have healed us. - Isaiah 53:5

Say: This was fulfilled when Jesus willingly took ours sins to the cross (1 Peter 2:24). When we believe in Him, we are made new. His punishment saves us and gives us new life. Thank your volunteers.

Say: We could go on and on and on reading Old Testament prophecies about Jesus. There are over 300 prophecies about the Messiah, and Jesus fulfills every one of them. No one else could fulfill all the promises God had made about the Savior of the world.

Author Josh McDowell did the math on this. The chances that one person could fulfill just eight of the prophecies are 1 in 10-to-the-seventeenth-power. That is a 1, followed by 17 zeros! This is the same as covering the entire state of Texas with silver dollars, two feet deep, marking one of them, mixing them all up and having a blind-folded person go in and pick the right one in just one try! Yet, Jesus fulfilled not only eight prophecies, but hundreds! There is no doubt that Jesus was the Messiah sent by God.

For YOUNGER students:Each time you read a prophecy verse aloud, call up a volunteer to hold up the appropriate prop. Then explain when Jesus fulfilled the prophecy.

Have all volunteers continue to stand with their props until you have read all seven prophecies. Say: I will read a verse that is a promise from the Old Testament. Then we will see how God made the promise come true through Jesus.

#1) The Lord who rules over all says, “I will send my messenger. He will prepare my way for me. Then suddenly the Lord you are looking for will come to his temple. The messenger of the covenant will come. He is the one you long for.” - Micah 5:2

Give a volunteer a megaphone to hold.Say: This promise came true when God sent John the Baptist to tell everyone that Jesus was coming (Luke 1:17, 76-79).

#2) The Lord says,”Bethlehem, you might not be an important town in the nation of Judah. But out of you will come a ruler over Israel for Me. His family line goes back to the early years of your nation. It goes all the way back to days of long ago.” - Micah 5:2

Give a volunteer a picture of Bethlehem to hold.Say: This promise came true when Joseph to Mary took Bethlehem to be counted for the census, and Jesus was born there (Luke 2:4-7).

#3) City of Zion, be full of joy! People of Jerusalem, shout! See, your king comes to you. He always does what is right. He has the power to save. He is gentle and riding on a donkey. He is sitting on a donkey’s colt. - Zechariah 9:9

Give a volunteer the donkey ears to wear.Say: This promise came true when Jesus entered Jerusalem riding on a donkey, as the people shouted, “Hosanna!” (John 12:13-14)

#4) If an enemy were making fun of me, I could stand it. If he were looking down on me, I could hide from him. But it’s you, someone like myself. It’s my companion, my close friend. - Psalm 55:12-13

Choose a volunteer to wear Judas’ headpiece.Say: This promise came true when Jesus’ friend and disciple, Judas, betrayed Him (Mark 14:10).

#5) What a good price they had set for me! So I threw the 30 silver coins to the potter in the Lord’s temple. - Zechariah 11:13b

Give a volunteer a bag of coins to hold.Say: This promise came true when the chief priests paid Judas 30 silver coins to betray Jesus. Later, Judas threw the coins into the temple (Matthew 26:14-15, 27:5).

#6) He was beaten down and made to suffer. But he didn’t open his mouth. He was led away like a sheep to be killed. Lambs are silent while their wool is being cut off. In the same way, he didn’t open his mouth. - Isaiah 53:7

Choose a volunteer and have him cover his mouth with both hands.Say: This promise came true when Jesus allowed the guards to whip Him and beat Him. He did not say a word to defend Himself when He was on trial before Pilate (Matthew 27:27-31, 27:14).

#7) But the servant was pierced because we had sinned. He was crushed because we had done what was evil. He was punished to make us whole again. His wounds have healed us. - Isaiah 53:5

Give a volunteer a cross to hold.Say: This promise came true when Jesus willingly took ours sins to the cross (1 Peter 2:24). When we believe in Him, we are made new. His punishment saves us. Thank your volunteers.

Say: We just read 7 prophecies, but there are hundreds more! We could read these all day long. Jesus fulfilled every promise that God ever made about the Messiah who was going to come to save people from their sins. No one else fulfills these promises - only Jesus.

Jesus Revealed (Luke 24:28-35)

Say: Jesus explained these things to the two men on the road to Emmaus, because He wanted them to believe in Him. He wanted to take away their sin and give them new life.

The two men approached the village where they were going. Jesus acted as if He were going farther. But they tried hard to keep Him from leaving. They said, “Stay with us. It is nearly evening. The day is almost over.” So He went in to stay with them.

He joined them at the table. Then He took bread and gave thanks. He broke it and began to give it to them. Their eyes were opened, and they recognized Him. But then He disappeared from their sight.

They said to each other, “He talked with us on the road. He opened the Scriptures to us. Weren’t our hearts burning inside us during that time?”

They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven [disciples] and those with them. They were all gathered together. They were saying, “It’s true! The Lord has risen! He has appeared to Simon [Peter]!”

Then the two of them told what had happened to them on the way. They told how they had recognized Jesus when He broke the bread. - Luke 24:28-35

Say: Just imagine - after walking all day on the road out of Jerusalem, the two men spun around and went all the way back into Jerusalem. This time, they probably ran! They had the best news ever to share with the disciples. Jesus was alive! They had seen Him with their own eyes. This changed EVERYTHING! Now they were certain that the One they had followed was truly the Messiah. When they reached the disciples, they found out that Jesus had also appeared to Peter.

Application: When Jesus found the two men walking along the road, with their heads down, sad and confused, Jesus gently rebuked them for not knowing what Scripture had foretold about Him. If they had known the Old Testament promises better, they would have understood that what happened on the cross, and at the empty tomb, where all part of God’s amazing plan.

In the same way, God’s word, the Bible, is the best way for us to know Him. Jesus said to abide in Him by remaining in His word (John 15:7). When we know God’s word, we know God. Jesus, Himself, used God’s word to explain who He was to the men. We can also share the truth about Jesus by sharing His word with others.

PPT KEY VERSE

Key Verse:

Jesus explained to them what was said about Himself in all the Scriptures. He began with Moses and all the Prophets. - Luke 24:27

PPT MAIN POINT

Main Point: Jesus’ death and resurrection fulfilled all of God’s promises.

Jodi is part of the Children’s Ministry team at Grace Fellowship Church, outside of Atlanta. Jodi has over 20 years experience teaching children in large and small group settings. She has also spent many years mentoring Middle School and High School girls.
Jodi has a passion for Biblical ac... More